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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(4); doi: 10.3390/ani13040667

A Systematic Literature Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Laser Therapy.

Abstract: Light therapy, or photobiomodulation, is a collective name for methods where tissue is irradiated with different types of light, with the aim of stimulating healing. Despite being frequently used, there is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment protocols for light therapy, nor its clinical efficacy. A systematic literature review was conducted, searching the relevant literature regarding light therapy in three databases, published between 1980-2020. The risk of bias in each article was evaluated. Forty-five articles met the inclusion criteria; 24 articles were regarding dogs, 1 was regarding cats, and the rest were regarding horses. The indications for treatment were musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions, skin disease and wounds, and pain. The literature review showed conflicting study results and unclear application for clinical use. This can be explained by the wide variety of treatment parameters used in the searched studies, such as wavelength, laser class, dose, and effect, as well as the frequency and duration of treatment. Although some beneficial effects were reported for light therapy, the studies also had limited scientific quality regarding these therapies, with a high or moderate risk of bias.
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Publication Date: 2023-02-14 PubMed ID: 36830454PubMed Central: PMC9951699DOI: 10.3390/ani13040667Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article reviews existing literature on light therapy in veterinary medicine, known as photobiomodulation, to determine its optimal protocols and clinical efficacy. Despite frequent usage, the review found diverse and conflicting results due to varying treatment parameters, thereby complicating its applicability in a clinical setting.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and best treatment process regarding light therapy in veterinary medicine by conducting a systematic literature review.
  • The authors searched three different databases for relevant literature published between 1980 and 2020.
  • A critical examination was conducted that assessed the risk of bias in each article in order to ensure a credible and comprehensive review.

Scope of Reviewed Literature

  • Out of the valid literature, 45 articles met the inclusion criteria and were subsequently analyzed for their findings and methodologies.
  • The majority of the articles (24 out of 45) were related to use of light therapy in dogs, one catered to cats, while the rest studied its application in horses.
  • The medical conditions that were most often treated with light therapy were musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, skin disease and wounds, and pain.

Summary of Findings

  • The outcome of the literature review was not linear. Differing results were found across various studies demonstrating unclear usage of photobiomodulation in a clinical context.
  • The inconsistency in results and clinical application can be attributed to the diverse set of treatment parameters employed by the various studies. Such as wavelength, laser class, dosage, effect, frequency, and duration of treatment.
  • Some beneficial effects of light therapy were observed; however, these positive results were overshadowed by the limited scientific quality of the studies. Most research in the review had a high to moderate risk of bias.

Cite This Article

APA
Millis DL, Bergh A. (2023). A Systematic Literature Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Laser Therapy. Animals (Basel), 13(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040667

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 4

Researcher Affiliations

Millis, Darryl L
  • Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
Bergh, Anna
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

Grant Funding

  • SLU.ua.2020.4.2-3148 / Swedish university of agricultural sciences, SLU Future One Health

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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